▲ The "Coalition of the Willing" multinational force (file image)
The European multinational force forming to support Ukraine's security after a ceasefire will be permitted to return fire in the event of a preemptive attack by Russia, the British daily The Guardian reported on November 3 (local time), citing Western officials.
The "Coalition of the Willing," an international consultative body led by the UK and France to provide post-war security support for Ukraine, is preparing its military arm, the Multinational Force-Ukraine (MNF-U).
This branch was previously referred to as the "Security Guarantee Force."
The multinational force also plans to hold its first military exercise, "Coalicia," from November 9 to 22.
Participating countries include the UK, France, Belgium, Estonia, Germany, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, and Spain, with 2,800 ground, naval, and air troops deployed.
Announcing the multinational force's exercise plans, the UK Ministry of Defence reconfirmed that the force will be deployed to Ukraine only at the request of the Ukrainian government after fighting stops, and will not carry out peacekeeping or ceasefire-monitoring missions.
Lieutenant General Tom Bateman, the British commander of the multinational force, explained that the core objective of the mission is to help rebuild and strengthen the Ukrainian military post-war, and that Western troops are intended to be stationed at a distance from the front lines.
However, The Guardian reported that the multinational force's rules of engagement will allow it to exercise self-defense if attacked by Russian drones.
A Western official familiar with the mission stated that while Western troops deployed to Ukraine will have a "defensive nature," "clearly we will protect our forces against any attack."
Consequently, The Guardian pointed out that questions are being raised about how Russia would react if the multinational force engaged in self-defense following an attack by Russia.
This is because while all military forces are authorized to act in self-defense, the right to self-defense is frequently subject to broad interpretation.
Although deployment remains hypothetical as it is unclear when a ceasefire in Ukraine will be achieved, the newspaper noted that considering Russia's history of persistent low-level attacks during the ceasefire period between its 2014 annexation of Crimea and its 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the possibility of armed conflict involving British troops cannot be ruled out.
Russia maintains its stance that it will not tolerate the deployment of European troops to Ukraine through the "Coalition of the Willing."
Furthermore, the multinational force led by the UK and France has a policy of not relying on U.S. systems or technologies, such as Elon Musk's Starlink.
Lt. Gen. Bateman emphasized that the multinational force is "non-NATO," operating outside the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and few U.S. assets are expected to be deployed to Ukraine.
Asked whether the multinational force relies on Starlink, another Western official responded, "We do not rely on U.S. systems," adding that care is being taken to avoid using American technology.
Starlink (Starshield) is a core communication technology for Ukrainian drone operations, but controversy arose over speed limitations following a conflict last month between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and U.S. President Donald Trump.
The "Coalition of the Willing" was formed under the leadership of the UK and France shortly after a tumultuous White House summit early last year between President Trump and President Zelenskyy.
Europe has sought to take the lead in supporting post-war security in Ukraine through the "Coalition of the Willing," requesting intelligence and other support from the U.S., but the Trump administration has maintained a lukewarm stance.
The Associated Press reported that while Europe is preparing to deploy troops to Ukraine post-war, various challenges remain, with some experts even suggesting that a deployment may never happen.
Ed Arnold, a research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), noted that the most crucial elements for Ukraine and European nations were U.S. intelligence support and assistance in monitoring ceasefire compliance, adding, "In effect, the U.S. is in a situation of supporting Russia against Ukraine, so a lasting ceasefire is a distant prospect."
(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
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